Grip for cable roads



(No M-del.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

S. H. TERRY.

GRIP POR CABLE ROADS.

No. 853,178. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

if 63 m4-L Ashmwjw N. PEEns. PlwmLilhugnplwr. washington, D: c.

(NolModel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

.SR TERRY. GRIP FOR CABLE ROADS.

No. 353,178. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

SAMUEL H. TERRY, OF FULTON, MISSOURI.

GRIP FoR CABLE ROADS.

SPEGTFICATON forming part of Letters P atc-:nt No. 353,178, dated November 23, 1886,

Application filed Sept mber l5, 1886. Serial No. 213,611. (No model.)

To all whom, it 'may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. TERRY, a citizen of the 4United States, residing at Fulton, in the county of Callaway and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grips for` Cable Roads, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide an improved cable-gripping,mechanism so constructed and arran ged as to be capable of readily accommodating itself to the rise and fall of the moving car-body without bearing with any great weight on the cable, and adapted, also, to swing from side to side with the varying line of the cable in .turning curves without subjecting the cable to strain or wear.

My invention has also for its objectto provide an improved and reliable means of auto` maticall y releasing the grip jaws from the cable at a cable-crossing or other point of obstruction without interfering with the mechanism by which the grip can be controlled by the earattendant.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities in the construction ,of the cable-gripping jaws and their accompaniments, and also in the mechanism whereby said jaws are operated, either automatically or at the will of the attendant on the car-platform, all of which will be hereinafter particularly set forth.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,of a cable-gripping mechanism embodying my improvementsf Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same on the line x x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inner side View of one of the hinged gripping-jaws, showing in section its connection with the opposite hinged jaw and with thejaw-carrying plate. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of" one ot' the gripping-jaws on the line y yof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of thejaw-carrying plate and connections, partly in section, the gripping-jaws being removed. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view ofthe grippingjaws and connections. Fig. 7 illustrates certain details in perspective. Fig. Sis a view of a spring-bearing for the grippingrollers. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of one of the gripping-jaws, illustrating a modiiieation in the arrangement of the springs for centering the`carryingframe of the grippingrollers.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a stationary vertical plate,-which is secured to the ear-frame in any suitable or well-known manner, and recessed to receive .the vertically-sliding plate 2, that supports the cable-gripping devices. This sliding plate 2 is made to move smoothly in the stationary plate by means of anti-friction rollers 3, (shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1,) which are supported in the stationary plate. To one side of the sliding plate 2 is attached a piu or lug, 4, for engagement with treadles 5, by which the sliding plate can be raised when desired. The sliding plate 2 is held from lateral displacement by meansof guides 6 on one side of the stationary plat-e 1, the lower guide being made to serve also as'a stop to prevent the sliding plate from dropping so far as to become disconnected from the stationary plate.

ln order to sustain a portion of the weight of the sliding plate 2, and thereby relieve the cable from excessive strain, a weight, 7, can be arranged in a recess, S, of the stationary plate, and be connected with the upper end of the sliding plate by means of a cord or chain, 9, passed over pulleys 10, journaled in the upper part of the stationary plate. A like 4 result can be attained by substituting springs 11 for the weight above described, said springs being arranged in corresponding recesses, 12, formed in the plates 1 and 2, as shown by dot` ted lines, Fig. 1, and supported at their lower ends by the stationary plate in such a manner that at their upper ends they will engage the upper walls of the recesses formed in the sliding plate, and thereby sustain a portion of its weight. By either of these arrangements, comprising one or more springs or weights, as preferred, the strain of the gripping devices on the cable can be reduced to a minimum.

Thelower end of the sliding plate 2is formed with perforated lugs or eyes 13 for passage of the hinge-pins 14, on which the eyes 15 16 of the swinging gripping-jaws 17 are journaled. The gripping-jaws 17 are closed securely by means of an external saddle, 1S, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, that is journaled or hinged by means of a pin, 19, to a perforated lug` or eye, 20,`at the lower end of a vertically-sliding bar, 21,

' which moves in a recess, 22, formed on one side of the sliding plate 2. This vertically-. sliding bar 21 is formed with a longitudinal slot, 23, Fig. 7, havingon each side of its lower end an elongated' perforation, 24, and above the slot 23 is a triangular opening, 25, in which is pivoted a pendulum or vibratory arm, 26, carrying at its lower end a horizontally-projecting lug or locking-pin, 27. In the slot 23 is arranged a slide, 28, having a cam, 29, attached to its upper end and a cross-head, 30, near its lower end. The cam 29 is formed with a concaved upper edge, whereby it is adapted to disengage the locking-pin 27 from its receiving-notch, as hereinafter explained, and the cross-head 30 engages a pair of rabbeted lugs Kor arms, 31, which carry horizontally-projecting pins 32, that engage the elongated perforations 24 in the sliding bar 21, for a purpose hereinafter described.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the cam 29 and cross-'head 30 both project from the slide 28 on the same side of the slot 23; and it will also be seen that the verticallysliding bar 21 and slide 2S are held within the slotted or recessed sliding plate 2 by means of guides 33, formed on or attached to said plates.

The locking-pin 27 on the vibratory arm 26 is adapted to engage a notch, 34, at the lower end of a slot, 35, formed in a block, 36, which is arranged to slide verticallyin a slot or opening, 37, in the stationary plate 1, that supports the gripping mechanism, This sliding block 36 is provided with suitable guides, 38, and carries a rack, 39, which engages a pinion, 40, journaled to a block, 4l, that is fixed to the sliding plate 2 and adapted to move in a slot or recess, 42, in the stationary plate.

The rabbeted lugs or arms 31, above referred to, are attached to or formed on a pair of vertical rods or bars, 43, which are provided at their lower ends with jointed extensions 44, that are connected to a horizontal bar, 45, extending longitudinally between the hinged gripping-jaws. At the upper ends these vertical rods or bars 43 move in guide slots or recesses 46, formed in the sliding plate 2.

To each end of the horizontal bar 45 is secured a bracket, 47, with which is loosely connected a bifurcated hanger, 48, the upper end of which is journaled on one of the pins 14, by which the gripping-jaws 17 are hinged to the lower end of the sliding plate 2. At the outer ends of these brackets 47 are' journaled rollers 49, one on each side of the cable-passage, and at the inner ends of the brackets are larger rollers 50, attached to connecting-shafts that are journaled in the bifurcated hangers 48, and pass loosely through vertically-elongated slots 51, formed in said brackets. On each of these connecting-shafts is a groovcd roller, 52, that lies above the cable.

The horizontal bar 45 carries on its upper edge two or more Wedge-shaped lugs or cams, 53, which are adapted to bear'against the inner beveled surfaces of the hinged gripping jaws 17 when the bar 45 is raised, and thereby press the jaws open and disengage them from the cableafter the saddle 18 has been raised from contact with the outer surfaces of said jaws.

The gripping-jaws can be opened at the will of the attendant, while the locking-pin 27 engages t-he notch 34, by rotating the pinion 40 in the proper direction to raise the block 36,

thereby lifting the bar 21, saddle 18, and cambar 45. The opening of the gripping-jaws will be effected automatically whenever the rollers 49 come in contact with the ordinary bridges or inclined ways, as indi-cated by the line 49, that are usually placed in the cabletunnel at cable-crossings, or elsewhere, as required.

From t-he foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that as the rollers 49 at either end of the grip come in contact with the bridges at a cable-crossing said rollers will be elevated sufficiently to carry one end of the horizontal bar 45 slightly upward, thereby raising the vertical bar 43 at that end of the grip and causing its rabbeted lug 31 to bear against the under side of the cross-head 30. This crosshead 3() carries upward the slide 28 and attached cam 29 a sufficient distance to cause the concavity of the cam to force the lockingpin 27 out ofthe notch 34 against the slight pressure of a spring, 54, which normally serves to hold said pin in its receiving-notch. After thel locking-pin 27 becomes disengaged from the notch 34 the continued upward movement of the rabbeted lug 31 brings its attached pin 32 into contact with the upper end of the elongated perforation 24, in which it is engaged, and thereby commences to move the sliding bar 21 and attached saddle 18 upward, so as to disengage the latter from the gripping-jaws and permit them to open and release the cable under the continued upward movement of the bar 45 and attached wedge-shaped lugs 53 within said jaws. As the saddle 18 and sliding bar 21 rise under the action of the lugs 31 and attached pins 32, the disengaged lockingpin 27 will move upward in the slot 35 of the block 36 without affccting'the rack-and-pinion gearing connected with said block, vand the car with the opened gripping-jaws will move forward by its momentum until the cable is again gripped, or until the brakes are applied,should it be desired to bring the car to a stop. It will be observed that this automatic action of the bar 45 in unlocking and opening the gripping-jaws, and of the saddle 18 in rising to permit the opening of saidjaws, is entirely independent of the car attendant oradriver and requires no attention on'his part. In passing over a bridge at a cable-crossing the upward i movement of the contacting rollers 49 raises that end of the bracket sufficiently to automatically actnate the unlocking mechanism of the grip without affecting the hangers 48 until the lower ends ofthe slots 51 cornein contact with the shafts of the rollers 50, by which time the unlocking of the grip has been effected, so that the upward movement of the hangers 48 IIO will elevate the plate-2 and open gripjaws 17 in season to avoid cont-act with the crossing cable, and the anti-friction rollers 50 will carry the grip over thebridge without any liability of injury to the cables or gripping mechanism.

In order to grip or release the traveling cable at will, the carattendant can actuate the gripping mechanism either through a handwheel on the shat'tot the pinion 40 or through the ordinary hand-wheel shaft at either end of the car, said hand-wheel shaft being oonnected with the shaft ofthe pinion 40 in any suitable mannerAsuch as by means of rods or ehains-and also, if desired, with the brake mechanism.

lt will be seen that in actuating the grip through the pinion 40 the engagement ofthelatter with the rack 39 will enable the sliding block 36 to be raised or lowered, as desired. The notch 34 ot this sliding block 36 being engaged with the pin 27, carried by the sliding bar 2l,it is obvious that said` bar and attached saddle 18 will likewise be moved up or down, according to the direction in which the pinion 40 is turned,and the engagement of the sliding bar 21 with the pins 32, carried by the lugs 31 on the vertical bars 43, will move the horizontal grip-opening bar 45 in like manner. In this method of operating the grip the spring 54 retains the pin 27 in the notch 34, to form a connection between the bar 21- and block 36, until such time as the automatic opening and elevation of the grippingjaws is required to avoid contact with a crossing cable or other obstruction. When the pin 27 has been carried upward in the slot 35 past the spring 54 in the automatic unlocking and upward movement of the grip, the subsequent lowering of the sliding bar 21 will carry said pin down past the spring and into its normal position in the notch 34, thereby securely locking the gripping-jaws in contact with the cable. v

By means ofthe treadles 5 the sliding plate 2 and attached gripping-jaws 17 can be raised whenever desired. This vertically sliding plate 2 and its connections are all so arranged that the car-body, supported on springs, as usual, can rise and fall freely without disturbing the engagement of the gripping-jaws and cable, and without kinking or straining the latter, as is liable to occur with a fixed gripping device. The arrangement of the weight or weights 7 or the spring or springs 11, for sustaining or carrying the plate 2 and attachments, serves to relieve the cable of the greater part of the weight ot` the gripping de-l vices, and thereby avoids the usual liability of cutting or breaking the cable from excessive strain.

rllhe fiexible connection of the gripping-jaws 17 with the lower end of the sliding plate 2 by means of the hinge-pins 14, and the corresponding connection of the saddle lS-with the sliding bar 21 and of the jointed bars 43 and 44, enable the gripping-jaws to be swung inward by contact with the usual inclined guide in turning a curve, so as to accommodate itself to the varying line of travel of the cable.

The internal faces of t-he gripping-jaws 17 are recessed, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 9, to receive an oblong longitudinally-sliding frame, 55, in which arejournaled the grooved gripping-rollers 56. On the upper surface of the sliding frame 55 are lugs or eyes 57, for engagement with a longitudinal bolt or rod, 58, by which the sliding frame 55 is suspended from a lug, 59, in the central upper portion of the recess 60, that is formed in the grippingjaw. t

The supporting rod or bolt 58 is surrounded by a spring, 61, that tends to maintain the frame 55 and attached rollers 56 in a central position within therecessed grippingjaw. The gripping-rollers 56 project on each side of their supportingframes 55, as shown in Figs. 4 and 9, and on their inner sides may contact with Vshaped springs 62, set iu concave depressions 63, formed in theinner side walls of the gripping-jaws, said springs being formed of flat steel leaves and provided with rounded iron bearing surfaces 6L at their ends, as shown in Fig. 8.-

lf desired, the spring 62 ma)7 be dispensed with and the rollers 56 made to contact directly with the depressions 63, which form a serif-s of eorrugations or double inclines, as shown in Fig. 9. lt is also obvious that instead of suspending the sliding roller-carrying frame 55, as shown in Fig. 3, with a spring, 6l, above said frame, it may be arranged with a spring, 65, at each end, as shownin Fig. 9. The upper opposing edges of the roller-carrying frames 55 are provided with interlocking teeth 66, as shown in Fig. 6. 0

It will be seen that the pivots or journals of the horizontal gripping rollers 56 project down through slots 67 in the bottoms of the gripping-jaws 17, soas t0 assist in holding the roller carrying frames 55 within the jaws without interfering with the longitudinal play of the rollers 56 in riding ou the springs 62, or on Lthe double inclinves formed by the depressions 63 in the act ot' gripping the cable. By means of the interlocking teeth 66 both roller-carrying frames are made to move together, so as to prevent kinking or twisting the cable in the act of engaging therewith. lt will be observed, also, that the transverse grooved rollers 52, journaled in the brackets 47 at cach end ofthe gripping-jaws and above the cable, are so arranged as to bear on the cable in such a manner as to prevent the up and down bending thereof, thatis so liable to impair its integrity when engaged with gripping devices of ordinary construction.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with a iixed grippersnpporting plate, ot' a vertically-sliding plate, a grip composed ot" two hinged jaws carried at the low er end of said. sliding plate, a horizontal cam-bar suspended between said jaws and adapted to open the same, jointed bars or rods attached to said cam-bar, a vertically-sliding IOS bar having a saddle pivoted to its lower end and adapted to clasp the grip-jaws, said saddle-carrying bar being connected with the jointed bars that are attached to the cani-bar, a rack-carrying sli-de-block connected with the saddle-carrying bar, and a pinion for actuating said rack to open or close the gripping-jaws, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a fixed grippersupporting plate and a` vertically sliding' plate carrying two hinged gripping-jaws, ot'a horizontal cam bar suspended between the grippingljaws and having at each end a rollercarrying bracket, a vertically-sliding bar provided with slots and perforations, a saddle pivoted to the lower end of said bar and adapted to clasp the gripping-jaws, jointed rods attached to the horizontal cani-bar and provided with rabbeted lugs having pins to engage elongated perfor-ations in .the vertically-sliding saddle bar, a swinging arni `pivoted in said bar and carrying a locking-pin, a

- slide arranged in a slot in thesaddle-cari-ying 8. The combination, with a grip comprising two hinged jaws, of an external saddle, asliding bar carrying the saddle, a sliding plate, means for lowering the bar and saddle, and a horizontal cani bar between the jaws, connected with the sliding bar and provided with rollers to come in contact with a guide in the cable-way, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a stationary gripper-supporting plate and a vertically-sliding plate carrying the cable-gripping jaws, ot' treadles engaging a pin or lug on said sliding plate to raise or lower the said plate and attached gripping -jaws, substantially as described.

5. The combination, Ywith the hinged gripping-jaws, of'a horizontal cam-bar suspended between said jaws and adapted to be actuated to open the same, and a horizontal grooved roller carried in a bracket at each end of said bar and adapted io bear on the cable, substantially as deicribed.

6. The combination, with thc hinged and internally-recessed gripping-jaws, of a longitudinally-sliding frame placed in each of said jaws, gripping rollersjournaled in said frames, and springs for centering the roller-carrying frames, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the hinged and internally-recessed gripping -jaws provided with a series of depressions or double-inclined in each of said jaws, gripping-rollers jonrnaled in said frames and adapted to ride on the double-inclined planes to grip the cable, and springs to center saidframes, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the hinged and recessed gril'iping-jaws having a series of internal depressions and springs set in said depressions, ot' a longitudinally-sliding frame placed in each of said jaws, gripping-rollers journaled in said frames, and springs to center the roller-carrying frames, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the hinged and recessed gripping-jaws, of the horizontallysliding roller-carrying frames placed in said jaws and provided with interlocking teeth, and springs for centering said frames, substantially as described.

j 10. The combination, with thc recessed and slotted hinged gripping-jaws, of longitudinally-sliding frames placed in said jaws, gripping-rollers j ourn aled in said frames, with their pivots or journals extended down into the slots in the bottom of the jaws, and springs to center said sliding frat-nes, substantially as described.

11. The combination ofthe stationary plate 1, the vertically-sliding plate 2, the hinged gripping-jaws 17, Cain-bar 45, jointed rods 43 41, the saddle 18, sliding bar 21, having slot 23, perforations 24, and triangular opening 25, the arni 26, pivoted in said opening and carrying a locking-pin, 27, the lugs 31, attached -to the rods 43 and having pins 32, engaging the pertorations 24, the slide 2S, having a Cain, 29, and cross-head 30, thcblock 36, having slot 35, notch 81, and rack 39, and the pinion etO, substantially as described.

12. The combination ofthe stationary plate 1, the vertically-sliding plate 2, the hinged gripping-jaws 17, the ca1nbar 45, having end brackets, 4,7, carrying rollers 49, the hangers L18, carrying rollers 50, the j ointedwbars or rods 4:3 44, rabbetetl lugs 31,having pins 32,the saddle 18, vertically-sliding bar 21, providedwith slot 28, pcrforations 24, and pivoted arin 26,

` carrying a locking-pin, 27,the slide 2S, having cam 29 and cross-head 30, and the block 36, having slot 35 and notch 34, for rcceivingthe locking-pin, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the verticallysliding plate 2 and thc gripping -jaws 17, hinged to the lower end of said plate, of a vertically-sliding bar, 21, a saddle, 18, pivoted to the low er end of said bar and adapted to clasp 'thegripping-jaws, means for locking said bar 21 in a lowered position,a horizontal cam-bar, 45, suspended between the gripping-jaws and having end brackets, et?, carrying rollers 49, and means for connecting said cani-bar Iwith the saddle-carrying bar and its locking mechanism, substantially as described.

14. The combination, with the sliding plate 2, having eyes 13, ofthe gripping-jaws 17, provided with eyes 15 16, the hinge-pins 14, the

planes, ofalongitudinally-sliding franieplaced l hangers 4.8, suspended from said hinge-pins ICO IOS

IIO

and carrying rollers 50, the cam-bar 45, provided with end brackets, 47, having a loose connection with the shafts of the rollers 50, the rollers 49, carried by said brackets, the saddle 18, sliding bar 21,'1neans for locking said bar 2l in a lowered position, and means for connecting the cam-bar 45 with the locking mechanism of the saddle-carrying bar 21, substantially as described.

15. The combination ofthe hinged grippingjaws 17, the vertically-movable bar 21, carrying a saddle, 1S, adapted to clasp said jaws, the horizontal bar 45,suspended between said jaws and provided with wedge-shaped lugs or cams 53, the brackets 47, attached to the ends of said cam-bar and carrying rollers 49, means for locking the saddle-carrying bar in a lowered position, and means for connecting the cam-bar 45 with the locking mechanism of the saddle carrying bar, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with thehinged gripping-,jaws 17, having recesses 6() and slots 67,

of the longitudinally-sliding frames 55,placed 'having interlocking teeth 66, the grippingrollers 56, journaled in Said frames, and the spring 58, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- 3 5 nature in presence of two witnesses.

1SAMUEL H. TERRY.

W itnesses:

JAMES L. NoRRIs, J. A. RUTHERFOR 

